Representative Barry Loudermilk, US Representative for Georgia's 11th District | Official website
Representative Barry Loudermilk, US Representative for Georgia's 11th District | Official website
Rep. Barry Loudermilk, Chairman of the House Administration Committee's Oversight Subcommittee, recently addressed the U.S. House of Representatives to discuss perceived flaws in the Department of Defense Inspector General's (DoD IG) report on the events of January 6, 2021.
Loudermilk emphasized that President Trump had instructed senior Department of Defense leaders to ensure safety during the events at the Capitol, a directive reportedly not acted upon. "President Trump ordered Senior DoD leaders to 'make sure it was safe,'" Loudermilk stated. However, Acting Secretary of Defense Chris Miller dismissed this directive as mere "banter," according to his interview with the DoD IG.
The congressman highlighted that D.C. National Guard Commanding General William Walker would have interpreted the President’s directive with more urgency had he been present at the meeting where these directives were discussed.
Concerns over optics reportedly influenced decisions regarding deploying soldiers at the Capitol. Lieutenant General Walter Piatt acknowledged that optics were a concern when considering military presence in Washington D.C. Despite having a plan ready, Secretary McCarthy did not communicate effectively with either Capitol Police or D.C. National Guard during critical hours on January 6.
The DoD IG report suggested inconsistencies in its findings but was published regardless. Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy was questioned about his actions following Miller’s order at 3:04 pm and testified that a member of his staff communicated orders on his behalf—a point later contested by Major General Walker and others.
Conflicting testimonies and whistleblower reports from members of the National Guard have raised questions about delays in deploying forces on January 6. These revelations came to light through witness interviews obtained by Loudermilk's subcommittee and testimony from courageous National Guardsmen.
Whistleblowers alerted authorities to perceived flaws in the DoD IG report, risking their careers to protect their reputations. The D.C. National Guard is unique within the Department of Defense as it reports directly to presidential command authority via delegated control through the Secretary of Defense and further to the Secretary of the Army.
On January 5, restrictions placed by Secretary McCarthy limited movement without explicit permission, centralizing tactical and operational command under him alone.
For those interested in watching Rep. Loudermilk's full remarks on this issue, they are available online.
Alerts Sign-up